• Formulation of District Agriculture plan:
    DAPU will be responsible for preparation of a Comprehensive District Agriculture Plan (C-DAP) with the help of TSI and planplus software package from NIC. The process of preparing the district plan can be divided into ten major stages. They are described in the following paragraphs. The steps are indicative and can be modified or skipped depending upon the district’s requirements. The District Planning process will go through the following ten stages

    Ten Stages



    Stage I: Formulation of Vision Statement:

    In this stage the aspirations and developmental needs of the district will be broadly spelt out keeping a specific time frame for achievement. This Vision prepared at the district level in consultation with all stake holders will act as a guide to all concerned in preparation of the plan. Training of Trainers? (ToT) for the Block/Taluk level Plan Coordinators will be organised by TSI, who will be coordinating, supervising and analysing the panchayat/village level data. There will be two aspects of the training: First the formats to be used, the sources of primary and secondary data, and methods of compilation. Second the analysis and interpretation of the computed data.



    Stage II: Information Needs and Analysis

    It is necessary to compile the indices which will tell present the current status of the district in various spheres of development vis-à-vis the state and the country. All the basic statistics of the district may be used for working out the indices, like the population density, average land holdings, health coverage etc. These can be compared 19 to the state?s/country?s averages. Based on SWOT analysis, the needs and core sectors may be identified to focus on, for further development. These indices will be made public in consultative meetings with the panchayats so that development strategies could be decided collectively. Vision should be prepared and approved by the District Planning Committee.

    Stage III: Discussion on the Vision:

    It is important that all the planning units in the district appreciate the participative methodology followed so that a feeling of ownership is created. The vision details should be given to all the panchayats and they should discuss this in their meeting. If needed TSI should provide the explanations needed by them on the document. The outcome of these discussions should be given publicity in each village. Simultaneously, the block level Agricultural Planning Units who have been trained at the district level should provide training to the village/panchayat data enumerators and planners.


    Stage IV: Preparation of Participatory Panchayat Plans:

    Panchayat/Village level planning will be the most important exercise in the preparation of C-DAP. Panchayat/village level agriculture planning unit (PAPU/VAPU) shall ensure the participation of all the sections of the people, specifically women and the disadvantaged sections of the society. For proper planning at Gram Panchayat level, Gram Sabhas have to function effectively. Their meetings would have to be representative of all people living in a Gram Panchayat. Several States have devised consultative mechanisms below the Gram Sabha, such as Ward Sabhas and Mahila Sabhas to ensure that every socio economic section is properly represented in the Gram Sabha. Even so, the general picture is that meetings are few and far between and that attendance is low, especially of weaker and disadvantaged sections. The following steps are suggested to be carried out on a campaign mode to ensure good participation in Gram Sabhas and Ward Sabhas:

    1. Dates for meetings to be determined in advance by the Panchayats

    2.Notices to be printed and distributed and adequate awareness created through display of notices in public places particularly about the responsibilities of the Gram and Ward Sabhas in Plan formulation

    3. Special interest groups such as SHGs etc., to be contacted for attending the Ward and Gram Sabhas

    4. Information to be given through NGOs, libraries, schools, anganwadis and cooperatives functioning in the area about Ward and Gram Sabhas

    5.Campaigns through National Service Scheme and Nehru Yuvak Kendra (NYK) volunteers, NCC cadets and College students could be undertaken

    6.House visits through squad work, particularly mobilized through the Ward member could be arranged.

    7.The Gram Panchayat nominating two facilitators one male and one female identified unanimously for each Ward Sabha. These facilitators could also be earmarked for special training at the Block/Municipal levels

    8.Having a proper structure for the Gram and Ward Sabha with scope to break up into smaller groups for discussion

    9.It would be useful to meticulously keep records of the meetings, such as attendance register with details, photographs, etc., wherever feasible.

    10.PAPU/VAPU will get the basic data collected and analysed with the help of technical experts and decide the interventions required for viable and cost effective activities based on the characteristics of all natural and financial resources available. The detailed proforma for collecting necessary data on agriculture and other sectors are given in Annexures.


    The above activities could be organized in following steps:

    Step 1: Collection and analysis of panchayat-wise primary data

    Step 2: Discussion with the Gram Panchayats and groups based on Agro ecological conditions and major activities.

    Step 3: Developing options for each classified sector ? it may be agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry, plantation and horticulture etc.

    Step 4: Locating and matching the resources with the needs identified in the above steps.

    Step 5: Approval of the Gram Panchayat Plan by the elected body or by the authorities if the elected body is not in office

    For this the TSI will meet PRIs, Farmers? Groups, NGOs, Credit Institutions and experts like University Faculty etc. and using the primary and secondary data collected will carryout a detailed analysis and suggest a design for a plan for developing the sector.


    Some of the important activities could be as under:
    • Design of appropriate cropping pattern according to soil type and its fertility status.

    • Promotion of emerging Sectors like Horticulture, floriculture, trade-oriented crops aromatic and medicinal plants etc.

    • Irrigation planning according to potential available with a view to maximize the irrigation use efficiency by increasing the use of micro irrigation devices like sprinkler, drip, etc.

    • Soil and water conservation activities to check the soil erosion and promoting water harvesting.

    • Promoting Integrated Crop Management (ICM) to make farming more economical.

    • Promoting animal husbandry with the quality breeds for higher milk production and also for draught power.

    • Planning for poultry and fisheries as per the potential available.

    • Providing adequate network for agricultural marketing. Commissioning of food processing industries including small scale industries (fruit processing, canning, etc,)


    Resource pool
    Resources available from various on going programmes as listed below are to be considered while preparing C-DAP. State/Centrally sponsored schemes viz. National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF), Swarn Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY), Bharat Nirman, NHM, NFSM, NPCBB, NFDB, RKVY etc.
    • Tied and untied grants from Central and State Finance Commissions.

    • Externally aided projects.

    • MLA/MP LADs

    • Any other sectoral and district segments of the State Plan

    • Possible private initiatives across sectors

    Sub-Step 1: Classifying each need into a matrix.
     Discussions with people would throw up several needs such as irrigation, veterinary care, marketing and transport infrastructure etc. Each of these will need to be classified sector wise. This will involve prioritising the needs, identifying and suggesting the ways to augment the local resources of the panchayats.

    Sub-Step 2: Assigning specific purpose grants:
    Having classified the needs, the next step would be to identify the specific purpose grants that address such needs and match these resources to each need.

    Sub-Step 3: Assigning part-untied funds:
    Partly untied funds are available for certain purposes and allow for a certain measure of convergence with other schemes. These funds can be used for gap filling within limits.

    Sub-Step 4: Assigning fully untied funds:
    The final step is the placement of fully untied funds. These are typically own sources of revenue, general or untied State Plan Grants, SFC grants. In this connection, it would also be very useful to consider the assignment of nonmonetary contributions, such as voluntary labour, as fully or partly untied resources. This work will be done by the VAPU/PAPU, which will also include the trained block level plan coordinator.


    Stage V: Integration of Village Panchayat Plans into a Block/Taluk Plan with the approval of Taluka/Block Panchayat Samiti

    The planning process at Block / Taluk level will be largely the aggregation of the village level plans prepared by PAPU/VAPU and analysed in the context of broader perspective. The Block Development Officer (BDO) will coordinate the compilation and aggregation of Panchayat/Village Level Plans at block Level. The actual components would depend on the activity mapping for the Taluk/ block level. This plan will also ensure the inclusion of initiatives required for development at Taluk/Block Level, which are not captured at Panchayat/Village Level. The plans prepared and aggregated should be approved by the Taluka / Block Panchayat Samiti. The Intermediate level should also assist in various steps of planning at the panchayat/village level. While integrating the panchayat/village level plans, it should be remembered to compile the data sector wise so that a taluk/block plan is formulated. The taluk/block level units, which will include the block level plan coordinator, will synthesize the taluk/block level plan. It will also take into account the inter Panchayat/village issues and needs like common roads, power etc. The exercise of matching the resources with the needs should be carried out the taluk/block level also.


    Stage VI: Integration of Taluk/Block Plans into a district Plan:

    The steps in this stage will be
    1. Sector wise aggregation of taluk/block plans and moderation
    2. Identification of inter taluk/block proposals
    3.Analysis of data and interpretation
    4.Identification of critical areas and consultation with experts to finalise the solutions
    5.Preparation of a document covering the above.


    The Taluk / Block level plans will be placed before the Taluka or Block Panchayat Committees for approval after it is technically scrutinized. It is expected that at the district level the District Agricultural Planning Unit will constitute Technical Advisory Groups to analyse the data and coordinate with experts so as to prepare the plan for 24 each sector. This group will consist of line department officials, technical experts (either in service or retired), NGO etc. Only after the approval by the Taluka / Block level Panchayat the plan will be forwarded to Zilla Panchayat.

    Stage VII: Approval by Zilla Panchayat / Parishad

    Article 243 ZD of the Constitution of India requires that the District Plan prepared by DAPU Groups should be considered in detail by the District Panchayats / Zilla Panchayats. The District Planning Committee will have to ensure this along with the interest of efficient use of resources there has to be only one district plan prepared through a common planning process and not a set of separate plans prepared in accordance with the guidelines of each programme. Thus, once the priorities are identified, components pertaining to a particular sector could be taken up through schemes including CSSs and that too as per the guidelines of those schemes except few modifications required if any.

    Technical Advisory Groups may provide their assessments to the DPC and a considered decision will be taken by the Zilla Parishad. DPCs while consolidating, should ensure following of the guidelines to verifying whether the plans of local governments match the priorities outlined in their vision documents. If DPC feel that modification of a Local Government plan is necessary, discussions should be held with key representatives of the Local bodies and only after their approval the necessary change may be made. If there is a dispute that cannot be sorted out locally, the matter may be referred to the State Level Co-ordination Committee (this is constituted by each State) at the State Level. A high degree of coordination between departments to ensure effective convergence of government activities is required. At the district level too, departments still tend to work in isolation. DPC should try and obtain converge around scheme related and untied funds.

    Stage VIII: Submission of District Plan to State Government and Feedback to the District/Panchayats:

     After the clearance of the Plan by Zilla Parishad / Panchayat the Plan will be forwarded to the State authorities. Since the district plan will have sector wise components, it will be necessary to involve the line departments at the state level for compilation at state level. The planning process can also be improved in the subsequent years by comparing with other districts of the state.

    If major adjustments are needed in the plan to go with the objectives of the state government, the plan may have to be modified by detailed discussions. It also calls for consultation with the panchayats again.


    Stage IX: Monitoring:

    Once the plan is approved and taken for implementation, it will be necessary to closely monitor the progress. Fort this, quarterly review of the physical and financial progress made is necessary again at all levels. The discussions should be made public for every one to know the progress made against the plan.


    Stage X: Social Audit:

    Institutionalising a system of social audit is essential for improving local service delivery. An effective system of social audit will have to be based on two precepts, first, that service standards are made public through citizens? charters and second, that periodic suo moto disclosure is made on attainment of service delivery standards by Panchayats. Social audit processes are also important to ensure effectiveness. Some do?s and don?ts in this regard are suggested below:

    1. Social audit ought not to be individually prescribed for each scheme implemented by Panchayats. A multiplicity of social audits separately prescribed for each scheme undermines the importance of the process.

    2.Adequate publicity will need to be given for social audit. It may be a good idea to provide nodal officers to assist Panchayats in the proper conduct of social audit. 26 However, care must be taken to ensure that such support does not give the impression that the Panchayat can sidestep its own accountability.

    3.Social audit ?action taken reports? have to be time bound and placed in the public domain. It is a good idea to precede a social audit with the action taken on the previous social audit.

    4.Opportunity has to be given to people to inspect the records of the Panchayat, particularly their documentation on property lists, tax assessments and tax collected, measurement books and muster rolls.

    5.It would be a good idea for a higher level of Panchayat, such as the intermediate panchayat, to provide details of the comparative performance of all Panchayats falling within its jurisdiction, so that people can get an idea of where their Panchayat stands in respect of each service delivered.


    A system of social audit at the intermediate and district Panchayat levels is also required.


    CONSULTATION PROCEDURE




    Major Tasks and Steps to be taken in the Formulation of C-DAP

    Sl No. Tasks Steps
    1. District Analysis
    Preparation of Village and District Profiles :
    (Collection and collation of essential data to present an articulated statistical profile of the village/district.) Resource Inventory analysis: (Malady Remedy analysis)
        • Physical resources
        • Human resources
        • Infrastructural and institutional resources
    Context Analysis
        a) Review of on-going development programmes to bring out
           development gaps and extent of resource utilization.
        b) Intra-district levels of development analysis
        c) Technological appraisal
    2. Vision and Strategy Formulation
    Felt needs of the rural population based on ?Needs Statement? obtained from each village Determination of District-specific goals within the overall framework of national goals. Formulation of developing strategy for the district indicating the major thrusts and priority areas of development
    3. Sector and Project Analysis
    Determination of Sectoral objectives
    Analysis of the development Potential:
        (a) Productive sectors
        (b) Infrastructural sectors
        (c) Basic Needs sectors
      a. Project preparation and appraisal
      b. Assignment of inter-sectoral and intra-sectoral priorities on the       basis of resource availability, administrative feasibility and       expected beneficiaries.
       c. Spatial Distribution of the investible resources.
    4. Inter-sectoral
    coordination
    • Institution of sectoral consistency checks.
    • Analysis of primary and secondary sectors relationship.
    5. Financial Resources Analysis & Allocation • Estimate investment requirements and sources of finance eg.
    Government-sectoral funds and any untied funds placed at the
    disposal of the local body
         (a) Local resources
         (b) Banks
         (c) External aid
    • Allocation of financial resources to villages and Blocks
    • Spatial and temporal distribution according to agreed strategy
    6. Budgeting • Working out cost estimates of identified programmes and projects
    • Matching of identified programmes and projects with available
       resources.
    • Determining the optimal programme sequences.
    7. Implementation • Phasing of development activities
    • Ensuring the orderly flow of funds
    • Task adoption: Articulation of Agency responsibilities with respect    to programme execution, co-ordination, monitoring and supervision    of activities.
    • Monitoring and evaluation